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Introduction
Dodge Caliber SRT 4 -- 2007 Preview: There are many reasons to buy a 2007 Dodge Caliber SRT-4. There’s self-esteem, which will take a certain nosedive if you’re caught driving an underpowered four-cylinder, like the new non-SRT Caliber. There’s the look of the car, with its stubby style and bold angles, all coming together at that big Dodge grille. And of course, there’s power, performance and all the various things that the SRT team does to Chrysler products. The Caliber is the latest “victim” of SRT’s engineers, debuting at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show to the strains of 300 horsepower.
What it is
That’s right. Dodge Caliber, the five-door hatchback Neon replacement, now comes with a powertrain that can make 300 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, which is so much more than the regular version that it’s really, truly, unfair to count. The rest of the numbers echo what you're thinking: 0-60 acceleration in less than six seconds, 86 horsepower more than the outgoing SRT-4, 260 lb.-ft. of torque between 2,000 and 6,000 rpm. That’s a load of power in a car that weighs scarcely more than 3,000 lbs. and sits on a wheelbase of 103.7 inches, and a front and rear track of 59.8 inches. That’s especially a load of power at an EPA rating that’s decent: 22 miles per gallon city, 28 miles per gallon highway.
Based on Chrysler’s “world engine,” engineers re-machined the four-cylinder block, changed the pistons and cylinders, added high temperature hardware, then mated the engine to a six-speed manual transmission. They also added better brakes – a good idea – moving up to stoppers sourced from the Chrysler 300 and other mid-sized vehicles. SRT techs also improved the ride and handling, sitting the car on 19-inch wheels, and sport-tuning the Caliber’s independent front and rear suspension, the rack and pinion steering and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Design changes to the Caliber mainly center on revising the front and rear fascias; front to deliver the necessary air flow and cooling, and rear in order to bring the Caliber into the SRT design family. Interior enhancements include sport seats, SRT monograms, carbon fiber and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Caliber SRT colors include black, orange, silver and red.
Why it matters
Talk about your attitude adjustments. The Caliber is a nice little car, to be sure, but the SRT-4 version gives it a whole new set of angry, burbling pipes, guaranteed to plaster a smile on the face of the driver and a grimace on the mug of the guy who thinks hatchbacks are uncool. Get more hatchbacks like this in America, and the next thing you know, it’ll be just like Europe, from sea to shining sea.
But we’re getting a little too excited. What the 2007 Dodge Caliber SRT-4 does upon introduction is give the Chrysler group yet another smokin’ performance variant, one that firmly plants the Tire Burn Out crown on top of the collective heads of the guys at SRT. It’s rare to see such a long string of successes from a mainstream performance brand, and amazing to see what a car company can do with some engineering smart-alecks and a great engine lineup.
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